The two big shows of the year are the BETT Show, which takes place at Olympia, London, every January, and the Education Show at the NEC in Birmingham, every March.

The BETT Show (January 9-12, 2002) is the educational technology showcase of the year. All the big suppliers are there, many using it to launch their latest products.

The Education Show (March 7-9, 2002) covers everything from sport and school trips to creative arts and science. Organisers aim to make it a day out with school bands and special zones for visitors to try out new equipment.

There are four Early Years and Primary Teaching Exhibitions (EYPTE) next year. The first takes place in Belfast (Feb 8-9). The others are in Manchester (May 10-11), Glasgow (Sept 13-14) and London (Oct 4-6).

Then there are the subject association shows. These are more intimate affairs that save you the trouble of having to avoid eye contact with someone on an irrelevant stand. The Association for Science Education (ASE) will be first out of the starting blocks with its conference at the University of Liverpool (January 3-5).

Most association conferences take place around the Easter holidays. The Association of Teachers of Mathematics, for example, will hold its conference from April 2 to 5, and the Geographical Association will be hosting its own annual conference from April 3-5.

As well as getting a hands-on demonstration of new resources, you can also network and glean the latest ideas from speakers, or attend seminars covering classroom practice and professional development. Best of all, you can pick up freebies and enter prize draws at most exhibition stands.

Keep your eye on the online noticeboard at www.tes.co.uk for information about forthcoming exhibitions and conferences.

Science: www.ase.org.uk

Maths: www.atm.org.uk

Bett: www.bettshow.com

Early YearsPrimary: www.under12s.co.uk

Education Show: www.education-show.com

Geography: www.geography.org.uk

Yolanda Brooks